An AVGN Myth

Mike Matei / November 29th, 2008

“THE NEWER VIDEOS HAVE LESS GAME CONTENT. THEY NOW HAVE MORE CURSING, AND ALWAYS HAVE GUEST CHARACTERS.”

It’s nice to read comments every once in a while, but this particular one is becoming very repetitive and tiring. But I only feel it’s worth addressing because it is so untrue. Let’s look at the facts.

MYTH: THERE’S ALWAYS GUEST CHARACTERS

I agree that AVGN is best when it’s just me and the game, but sometimes I need to do what I can to keep the videos fresh. It keeps it from getting boring for me, and it makes it something unique than just the same old game review done again and again. If the guest characters are really not your cup of tea, then here’s a handful of NEW AVGN videos (2008) that don’t have them.

See? The majority of the videos are still the same basic game review style.

MYTH: THE NEWER VIDEOS HAVE LESS GAME CONTENT.

FACT: The newer videos are longer. Before the Friday the 13th video (October 2006), they had an average run time of 7 minutes. Now, they are usually between 10-15 minutes.

The newer videos also have more critique of the game. Here’s some example of the “old” and “better” videos from 2004/2006.

DR. JEKYL AND MR. HYDE – Barely played the game at all.
TMNT: Didn’t play past the 3rd level. (Showed clips of 4th level)
BACK TO THE FUTURE – Barely played past the Cafe.
TOP GUN: Didn’t play past 2nd level.
DOUBLE DRAGON 3: Didn’t play past 3rd level.

In the newer videos, I make greater effort to complete the games. More in-depth commentary. More analysis. More content.

I put a lot more time and effort into making the newer videos. Before Friday the 13th, they would each take about 8-12 hours total time. (That includes the gameplay/script/recording/editing) But now, the process takes about 30-40 (average) hours, each video.

MYTH: THE NEWER VIDEOS HAVE MORE CURSING.

The old videos had a TON of cursing!

Examples from the 2006 videos:

KARATE KID – Opens with the Nerd repeating FUCK over and over!

TMNT: Most of the video was “Fuck! Get up there! Fuck!” and analogies to animal feces. How could you forget the whole end rant? “It suckin’ fucks! It fuckin’ sucks! It fuckin’ Blows”…etc.

TOP GUN: One of the most classic bits. “ASS! FUUUUCCCK!!”

POWERGLOVE: I coudn’t even begin to discuss this video’s excessive use of the F-Word! It probably has the most to date

Bottom line: all the videos had cursing. If you actually think the newer ones have more, I would like to see an actual count to prove it. I guarantee there was more profanity years ago then there’s been lately. But it would also be nice to see a detailed comprehensive curse count that takes the length of the videos in consideration. I would like to see the average “FPM” (Fucks Per Minute). If anything, it would be hilarious.

If you like the “old” videos better, that’s fine. There’s nothing I can do to change that. After 60 game reviews, you’re not going to think it’s as original as you thought it was when you first saw it. Because you saw it 60 times! Unless I have the ability to erase your memory and start over, what you’re asking me for is something that is impossible. If you watch the newer videos, like Dick Tracy or the CDI series, you’ll see they are the same basic game reviews that you’ve wanted. I couldn’t imagine what more or what “less” it is you expect.

Criticism is fine, but when it has absolutely no basis in fact, it’s rather frustrating.

Comments

cpfan2000

April 9, 2010 at 4:29 pm

YEAH AVGN THATS WHAT IM TALKIN ABOUT!!! TELL THOSE FUCKERS OFF!!!! I don’t give a damn what anyone says. The videos have gotten better over the years and I know the show is only going to get better. I’m so excited to see what you have in store for May. Reminds me of the movie Ninja Turtles 3 in a way….except you’re going to be the opposite. Taking your time to make the show better instead of taking your time to create a total shitbomb. That still blows my mind. haha but so true. So overall….AVGN rocks so those who say otherwise….can just stay afloat that pool of piss and take that pile of shit and then sink down to that awful pissy abyss. Keep it up, James!

I love how people try and make up “facts” about your videos, when you’re the person that actually made them. Personally, I love all your new videos as much as the old ones. I still find myself laughing hysterically, and I can watch your videos again and again and they never get tiring. People who complain about your videos not having enough this, or having too much of that, can go suck a cow’s ass. They didn’t make any of the videos, so they have absolutely no right to try to make up facts about them. They just want attention and they want to control what everyone thinks of you. I have no idea why humans are like that.

One thing I found funny though, is I’ve played several of your videos to my mom, and she always goes on about how she “doesn’t like them because there’s too much swearing”, but then while she’s watching them, she laughs her ass off. That’s the power your videos had, and still have, and it’s fucking awesome.

So don’t worry about how much of something you have, or how little of something you have in your videos– they are awesome the way they are, and you’re entitled to make them any way you like.

I find all your material great, both entertaining and educational (as much as video game trivia can be educational anyway XD) But you know how fans are. It seems once someone has been a fan for a while, they start getting nostalgic and reminiscing about “back in the day” and soon there’s a million excuses why they don’t like newer things even though there really IS no excuse for it.

Now sometimes, there’s good reason for it (Pokemon, Star Wars)

Most times, there isn’t ( your vids, Star Trek, Star Fox, Ocarina of Time) Those last two examples, those fan bases will NEVER be pleased. The only thing getting THEM excited is the fact that they’re making the EXACT same game, again, for the 3DS. Not a bad thing in and of itself. But the fact that that’s the only thing the fans are getting their rocks off on is just annoying.

My final opinion? They want to complain about how the newer videos are not the older videos, they can go watch AVGN Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde the first review on loop and leave the new material to those of us that appreciate it.

Dude you rock. Your characters rock. Your scripting rocks. Your other series like: Overanalyzers, Board James, and Turtle Tuesdays; yeah they rock too. I’m a huge Castlevania fan and have been watching these since the beginning and they just get more elaborate, more fun, and funnier as time goes on. Your acumen in horror films and foreign films two of my personal favorite genres rocks. To be redundant you fucking rock.

Don’t worry about these trolls on the interwebs. They get high quality entertainment for free and if they don’t like it they can shove it up their collective asses. I think if I had a super power now it wouldn’t be invisibility or flight but because of these jack asses I would rather have the inability to see things written in all caps.

As far as I’m concerned you get an honorary best friend award. I’d give you the keys to the city if I could but then I’d have to run for mayor and there’d be a scandal and it’d be a real mess. When I saw AVGN 100 it was sad because it looked like the end of the series. I know you must be running low on horrible games, and the series might not be as fresh to you after seven years of doing it, but when I log onto cinnemassacre and see a new AVGN it’s like waking up in the morning wandering out into my living room and seeing someone has put up a Christmas tree with a brand new awesome present under it. Keep doing what you do man. It’s brilliant.